Indicating device for carriers



NOV. 11, 1930. R DUDLEY v1,781,055

INDICATING DEVICE FOR CARRIERS Filed Jan. '7, 1929 H www I N VENTOR.

A TORNEY `Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICATING DEVICE FOR CARRIERS Application led January 7, 1929.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in indicating devices for tubular carriers of the kind used in pneumatic dispatch systems.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved station indicating means for tubular carriers which may be conveniently set to designate the destination of the carrier.

Another object of my invention is to provide a station indicating means for carriers,

having a locking arrangement adapted to prevent the indicating means from becoming disarranged when the carrier is in transit from one station to another.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a station indicating means for carriers which is so constructed as to permit only one combination of numbers or characters to be visible at a time, thereby obviating any chance of having the carrier sent to a wrong station.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved indicating means for carriers wherein is embodied a plurality ofl numbered rings, each of which may be automatically locked so that certain numbers are maintained in visible positions.

Other objects more or less apparent will present themselves or will be specically pointed out in the description to follow.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tubular carrier showing my improved indicating means applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the portion of the carrier having the indicating means thereon;

F ig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the rings which constitutes a part of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the enclosing band; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of the other ring.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates tubular carrier provided with a hinged cover at one end, and a. buffer 3 at its other end.

Suitably secured to the tubular carrier is a cylindrical member 4 which has one of" its ends bent inwardly as at 5 to suitably maintain a circular plate 6 over the end of the fil Serial N0. 330,873.

carrier. A plurality of screws 7 extending through the buffer 3 and the plate 6 are screwably attached to a metal disc 8, thereby providing means for attaching the buer to the tubular carrier 1.

Revolvably mounted on the cylindrical member 4 between a circular raised part 9 thereof and its end are two rings 10, which are each provided thereon with a plurality of numbers or characters 11. Each of the rings is provided at its side with a roughened raised portion 12 which serves as a means for conveniently turning the ring.

Secured to cylindrical member 4 as by a screw 13 is a band 14 which is positioned between the raised portions 12 of the rings 10 and extends over parts of the said rings and the numbers or characters thereon. The band is provided .with two apertures 15, through which one number or character of each ring is visible.

Suitablymounted in openings located in the cylindrical member 4 and the tubular carrier 1, are two spring casings 16 which are each provided with a spring the head of which is adapted to enter one of the depressions 18 located on the inner surface lof the rings. The heads of the pins 17 upon becoming lodged in the depression 18 serve to maintain the rings in normally fixed positions with the desired characters or numbers 11 appearing through the apertures 15 in the band 14.

The depressions 18 of each ring are so dis tributed around the inner surface of the latter that one of the pins 17 upon engaging with a depression causes one of the numbers 11 to be normally maintained in such a position that it is visible through one of the apertures 15.

The numbers 11 on the rings 10 may be changed at will so that certain combinations appear visible through the apertures 15 by grasping the raised portions 12 of the rings and turning them to certain positions. lVhen t-he rings are turned the pins 17 are depressed, thereafter being returned by the springs associated therewith to positions within two of the depressions. The engagement of the heads of the pins 17 with t-he depressions 18 pressed pin 17,

of the rings 10, normally maintain the` rings in fixed positions, thereby preventing the numbers appearing through the apertures l5 from becoming disarranged when the tubular carrier is in transit from one station to another.

It is obvious to those skilled in the art that my improved indicating means for tubular carriers may be embodied in other construc-A tions than the one shown, so for this'and other apparent reasons I desire my invention in# eluded broadly within the spirit of the ap pended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An indicating carrier Comprising! in combination with a hollow tubular casing, a plurality of rotatable rings mounted on the y casing, each ring being provided with a series of numbers or characters, a band secured to the casing and extending over the parts of the rings having thev numbers or characters thereon, the said band being provided with apertures therein through which certain numbers or characters on the rings are visible, and

means engageable with the rings for normally Y maintaining the rings in fixed positions.

2. An indicating carrier comprising in lcombination with a hollow tubular casing, a plurality ofrotatable rings mounted on the casing, each ring being provided with a series of numbers or characters and a raised portion, a fixed band extending around the parts of the rings having the numbers or characters thereon, thesaid band having a pluralityof apertures therein through which certain' numbers orrcharacters on the ring are visible,

and a spring pressed pin engageable with each ring for normally maintaining the ring in a fixed position.

3. An indicatingA `carrier comprising in combination with a hollow tubular casing, a

plurality of rotatable rings mounted on thel casing having a plurality of indentations on theirV underneath surface, each ring being provided with a series Voil numbers and a raised portion, a fixed band extending around the rings and over the numbers thereon, having a plurality oit apertures therein, and a plurality of spring pressed pins attached to the casing and engageable with the indentations of the rings, whereby the rings may be maintained in normally fixed positions.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

ROBERT AL. DUDLEY. 

